Improvement in bit-braces



E. C. MERRYMAN. Bit-Brace.

No. 208,623. Patented Oct. 1,1878.

N. PEIERS. FHUTUALITMDGRAPHER. WASHINGTnN, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

EDWARD O. MERRYMAN, OF MONKTON, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BIT-BRACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,623, dated October1, 1878; application filed September 29, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, E. CLINTON MERRYMAN, of Monkton, in the county ofBaltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and ImprovedBit-Brace, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation in section of my improved bit-brace. Fig. 2is a vertical section on line x x in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on line y y in Fig. l.

The object of my invention is to construct a bit-brace that may be usedfor turning; bits, taps, and similar tools, and may also be used as aWrench for turning nuts, &c.

Referring to the drawing, A is the body of a bit-brace of the usualform, except that its lower arm extends straight out from the handle,and is squared to receive the movable wrench-jaw B and the fixed jaw C,the latter being secured in place by a nut, a. The movable jaw is cutaway to receive the internallythreaded sleeve D, which is fitted to thearm of the brace, the corners of which are threaded. A tapering V-shapedgroove, b, is made in the face of each jaw, and a mortise is madethrough the arm of the brace to receive the shank of a bit or tap.

I am aware of the fact that a brace has been provided at its lowerextremity with a wrench having a separate screw for adjusting themovable jaw, as shown in the patent to W. F. Cross, March 28, 187 6; butthe said screw, by reason of its location, affords an impediment to theswing of the brace when two or more bolts are adjacent to each other,while the rosette for turning said screw is liable to catch in theclothing. I therefore confine my invention to the sleeve arrangedconcentrically upon the arm of the brace, which dispenses with thenecessity of a rosette, and allows the arm to swing freely over theprojecting end of a bolt close to the one being operated upon.

In arranging the V-shaped groove, also, the same is located in the inneror upper portion of the jaws, and extends only about two-thirds thedistance to their extremities. This pre serves at and strong faces forthe jaws at their extremities, wlncn adapts them to nuts, and also, byinclosing partially the shoulder of the bit, prevents the latter fromslipping out from its position in the grooves and the perforation in thearm.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Pat ent- The jaws B C, having Hat faces near their outer endsand V-shaped grooves formed in the inner portion of their faces, incombination with the brace-arm having a perforation therethrough toreceive the end of the bit, substantially as shown and described.

EDWARD CLINTON MERRYMAN.

Witnesses:

J AMES L. ILGENFRITZ, S. AUGUSTUS TrPToN.

